The newest Lady Knight
by Nose-Forever-Stuck-In-Books
Summary: *WARRING THIS STORY IS UNDER REVISION!*
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything belongs to Tamora Pierce except the characters I made up, aka the one no one recognizes.**

Alessandria stared tiredly at the northern part of her homeland, it had only been a few years since she last saw it but it felt like a lifetime. She wasn't the same person. Being here again made her think of her family, she wondered if they would recognize her. _Stupid,_ she scowled and shook herself._ You don't want them to recognize you. _ Alessandria knew they would ask questions, ones she couldn't –or wouldn't-answer.

"Sandria," the voice shook her out of her thoughts, and Alessandria looked at the speaker. It was one of the two teenagers in the group, five not including Alessandria, two girls aged 14 and 8, and three boys aged 15, 9 and 6.

"Yes, what is it Elpida?" Alessandria asked when the younger woman hesitated.

"The horses need water and… I think that we could all use a rest." Alessandria looked at the others in the little group, they all looked tired.

"Right. Connor, keep an eye on the rear, soon as we spot water we stop." The oldest boy nodded and held his horse back as they started forward again.

Within a few minutes the group spotted a small stream, cautiously they went towards it and dismounted. Elpida and Rasha went one way to relive themselves and Connor, Leverett and Druce went the other. Alessandria stayed to water the horses, she was about to lower the hood of the riding cloak she wore when Night raised her head and swung her head to look past Alessandria. Hand slipping to her weapon Alessandria spun around, paling when she saw the group behind her.

_No. No, no, no, no, no! _Alessandria watched as the group moved nearer, growing desperate, she called out in the language she'd spoken for the last few years. "Come no farther!" Alessandria saw two members of the group jerk in shock when they heard the tongue so similar to Yamani.

"We will stay here." The leader assured in Common. "Who are you?"

Because she wanted to see how they would respond, Alessandria asked another question. "Does Latona know you?" this time she too spoke in Common.

"She does. Who are you, sister?" This came from the other one who had recognized the tongue she spoke.

"I am called Sandria." Gods, how she wished she could tell them. "Who are you?" As if she didn't already know.

The leader made introductions. "I am Lady Knight Keladry of Masbolle; this is my husband Domitan of Masbolle. This is Lady Yukimi and Sir Nealan of Queenscove."

"You are from here, yes? I need to go to a town called New Hope. Can you tell me if I'm close?"

"We're actually headed there ourselves. We'll escort you." Domitan of Masbolle said. Alessandria had no choice but to nod her acceptance.

"That's a lot of horses for one person," Nealan stated doubtfully, eyeing her with something akin to mistrust in his eyes.

"That," Sandria stated dryly, "would be because I am not alone." She mounted Night and barely raising her voice called out to her group. "Come, we must be off." Slowly the five young ones existed the brush surrounding the small clearing, bows fully drawn, arrows pointed at the smaller group.

With a word from Alessandria they relaxed their bows and mounted their horses. Alessandria road near Keladry unable to help herself.

"Why do you want to go to New Hope?"

"Well, Lady Keladry-" Alessandria bowed her head and went silent for a few minutes. "They need a home. I thought New Hope might be a place for them to start over."

"But not you too?" Kel glanced at the stranger beside her.

"No," Alessandria said sadly. "I've started over once already, I don't get to again." Alessandria dropped back and allowed herself to remember the last time she was in Tortall.

_She stumbled out of the Chamber of Ordeal, right into the arms of her mother and former knight-master, Sir Merric. Desperately she looked around, relaxing when she saw her two brothers, who had just been knighted in the two days before she had entered it. Later that evening after she had been given her shield and titled Lady Knight Alessandria of Masbolle, Alessandria had talked with her mother._

"_I'm proud of you. You've worked so hard," Kel smiled at her._

_Feeling impulsive Alessandria hugged her mother. "I was just lucky I had a good knight-master. I _still _say you had something to do with Sir Merric choosing me as a squire." Kel laughed and shook her head._

Alessandria shook herself, clearing the memories that clung to her like cobwebs. She wasn't surprised to see Kel talking to Neal and Yuki. _they're probably telling him who Latona is,_ she mused to herself.

As soon as the strange woman had dropped back, Neal moved his horse over to ride next to Kel. Over the years he'd learned enough Yamani to hold simple conversations, because of his wife.

"Who was that person she ask about? Latona," Neal frowned and glanced at the strange hooded woman, who appeared deep in thought.

"Latona is a goddess who's big in the Yamani Islands. She's patron to all women warriors." Yuki answered quietly, "We can always ask her to swear by the goddess that she means no harm to those in New Hope."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own PotS. Tamora Pierce does. I own only the characters no one recognizes, because they came out of my head. The story line is my own, if it seems to someone like I am sealing your story line I apologize profusely.**

Alessandria looked around amazed as she entered New Hope. She had heard stories of when it was first being built, but never seen it in person. She watched as an older woman approached Keladry, they obviously knew each other. Alessandria dismounted and motioned for Connor and the others to do the same. Alessandria walked over to where Kel stood talking with a woman she assumed was an official of some kind in the small town.

"Hello," she said politely to the older woman, "Could you by chance tell me where I can find the headman or woman?"

"You've found her," the woman replied.

"What is your name?" Sandria asked quietly.

"Fanche," she replied. "What do you need?"

Alessandria nodded to herself. This woman would watch over them. "If you will note those children I came in with," she motioned to them with one hand. "They need a home. I ask that you allow them to stay. They are all very good archers, so should trouble came they could help. They need-" Alessandria broke off as she heard Night scream, spinning around she paled and rushed forward.

Night reared and was about to bring her front hooves down upon the head and shoulders of the surprised woman who'd approached the horse. Alessandria smashed into the woman, knocking her out of the way, her momentum carried her almost completely out of the way, but one of Nights hooves caught Alessandria's right shoulder. The force caused Alessandria to tumble to the ground, when she looked up she swiftly jumped to her feet, and proceeded to do one of the stupidest this anyone could ever do: stand in the way of a furious mage.

"Sir mage, I suggest you calm yourself." Alessandria's mouth was bone-dry yet she was able to speak normally. "If you look around you might note that there are five arrows pointed at you. They will be released if you insist on threatening my horse." Black fire glittered around the mages hands. _He hasn't even noticed that the Wildmage is unharmed. _She thought with a sigh. She tried again. "Sir mage, if you look you will see that the arrows are fetched with Stormwing feathers. Arrows such as these are mage-killers. She is alright you know. The woman did not get hurt."

Alessandria turned her back on the mage and began to sooth her horse, when she was calm Alessandria walked over to the Wildmage. "I am glad to see you are well milady. I trust you've over come your scare."

"Please don't call me 'milady', it's Daine. Thank you for getting me out of the way. I must say I've never had a horse react that way to me." Her voice, like the smile she gave Alessandria, was shaky.

"That is likely because you've never met a horse torched by a person with horse magic. Sense it happened she's always reached that was to those with horse magic." Alessandria sighed as she explained.

"What," gasp Daine horrified. "Who did it?" Daine's eyes glinted dangerously with furry.

"Do not worry," a grim smile touched Alessandria's lips as she remembered. "He will never again treat a horse like he treated Night."

Alessandria hissed out a breath in pain when someone touched her right shoulder, which throbbed painfully. She turned and jerked her shoulder away.

Numair frowned. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you." When she shook her head he continued. "Could you please tell you little band of archer to stop pointing their arrows at me?"

Alessandria smirked as she looked; all five bows were still pointed at the mage who'd threatened Night. As she lowered her hood Alessandria called for them to stand down. Her smirk turned to a grimace of pain as someone grabbed her throbbing should again.

"You _are _injured." Daine said. "Neal, come here." As the green-eyed knight strode over Alessandria prayed that her would not recognize her. She stood as he fixed her shoulder, wincing in pain from time to time, finally she glared at him. "You know, that quite hurts. Is there any possible way you could be _gentler_?" Her tone deceptively lazy, and lofty.

Neal blinked only one other person had ever made that statement to him, and she had disappeared nearly four years ago.

_Neal scowled at the two girls in front of him. One had a few bumps and bruises she was already healing herself, the other had a broken wrist, a broken ankle and happened to be his best friend's only daughter. With a sigh he asked again. "What happened," once more he suspected she lied when she answered._

"_I fell down the stairs." Alessandria was a handful and Neal didn't envy Kel having to deal with her._

"_Then why do you not have any bruises?"_

"_Kely healed them for me," Neal looked at his daughter who returned his look calmly. Unfortunately both girls had learned to keep their emotions and thoughts hidden like their mothers. With a sigh, Neal put one hand on Ria's wrist and one on her ankle. After a couple of seconds she spoke._

"_You know, that quite hurts. Is there any possible way you could be _gentler_?"_

"What are their names?" Fanche had walked up, and nodded towards the children.

"The oldest girl is Elpida, she's 14. Rasha is the other girl, she's 8. Conner is the oldest boy, he's 15, Leverett is 9 and Duce is 6. I take it this means they have a place here?"

Fanche nodded, and Alessandria sighed with relief. Then walked over to where the children where to inform them of what was going on. They weren't pleased to find out they were staying and she wasn't. After a few minutes of arguing they agreed that traveling was hard on 6-year-olds (as Duce was asleep and couldn't take offence) and agreed that they couldn't abandon him. They let someone Fanche had instructed to lead them to places they could stay.

"So they've agreed not to follow you?" Kel had stood watching as the negations went on.

"Yes, they can be very… determined." Alessandria stood and looked at Kel.

"Where are you from," Kel had an idea but wanted conformation.

Alessandria let out a surprised, bitter laugh and tapped the thin scar that ran from above one temple, across the bridge of her nose and to her opposite cheek. "Nowhere, Lady Knight. Nowhere at all, but I did live with the Nagari for a time. Have you heard of them?"

"Yes," Kel answered. "I lived with the Yamani for a bit when I was younger, do they still trade?"

"Yes, as often as possible. Hard to do when the sea voyage is nearly six months long, but-" Alessandria shrugged. "Tell me, how far is your capital from here?"

"Why," suspension was clear in Kel's voice.

Alessandria hesitated for a minute then answered. "I need to speak with your king and queen. I do not know how long I have until the first groups began to come. I swear by Latona that I only wish to help Tortall avoid a possible disaster. Please ask me no more."

Kel hesitated then nodded. "I'll take you there."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not, nor have I ever owned PotS because I am not Tamora Pierce.**

**A/N: **_This is my first fanfic, so if you could review and tell me what you think I would greatly appreciate it. If someone wants to send suggestion I will look at them, but that is all I promise to do. I hope you enjoy the story._

Alessandria would be lying if she said that she wasn't nervous. Kel and the others were not planning to head back to Corus for another week. Alessandria knew that her brother's and friends could very well be at the palace. Unfortunately if anyone would recognize her it would be her brothers, she could never hide things from them. _But things have changed_; she thought with more than a little desperation, _I've changed. _

Alessandria sighed and looked out at the land that stretched in front of her from her spot on the wall on New Hope. In a few more days they would leave, Daine and Numair would join them, meaning Alessandria would have to keep an eye on Night; her horse got stressed whenever she was forced to be around a person with horse magic for an extended amount of time. She'd learned a few days prier that Numair and Daine had come because there was some issue or another with animals in the area. Once more Alessandria sighed.

"Is something wrong?" Alessandria turned to see Daine's friendly blue-grey gaze directed at her.

"No, I'm just not used to sitting around when I have things to take care of," Alessandria said, telling herself that it wasn't a lie, and that she did not feel bad about not telling anyone who she was.

Daine nodded. "Kel mentioned that you had something to say to his Majesty. I was wondering…"

"Go on," Alessandria wondered what the Wildmage would ask.

"Were you sent here by your king, or someone?"

Alessandria couldn't help the startled laugh that escaped her as she shook her head. "No, no. The Nagari have no king, or queen, or emperor, or empress. They are… like the K'miri or the Bazhir. Many tribes that make up the nation. The chieftain and shaman make the everyday decisions for the tribe. But the… 'Animal-hearted' is the best translation I can think of," Alessandria smiled apologetically at Daine before continuing. "Make the decisions that affect the nation. Among the Nagari you would be raised to a position of power to rival any kings."

Daine blinked, frowning as she tried to process the information. "How is a chieftain's chosen?"

"The chieftain is always the wisest and best fighter. The Nagari are first and for most warriors. They honor animals, and wish to learn from them, for they inhabited the land before we did." Alessandria flushed when she realized how much she'd spoken. "I didn't mean to make a speech," she mumbled, embarrassed.

"The way you talk about the Nagari, it doesn't sound as if you consider them your people." Alessandria twisted to see Numair and Neal approaching.

Alessandria tilted her face up to the sun, her eyes closed. "I don't, because they aren't. I'm sure you've noticed that I have a scar on my face; this scar prevents me from claiming the Nagari as my people. The Nagari are a very proud people. I was not born into any of the tribes, but when someone is they receive a small detailed tattoo on the bridge of their nose or above one eye. A scar marring that mark, well it basically cut all ties to the tribe the person was born into. They regard facial scars as … something to be ashamed of, so most people who receive them go into the service of a god, or goddess." She watched them through half closed eyes as they digested this information.

"Why," Numair mused with a frown. "Are facial scars something to be ashamed of?"

Alessandria shrugged. "That's one of the few things I've never understood about them," she admitted. Pushing herself off the wall, she wandered away.

"She's an odd one," Neal said to no one in particular.

"Yes, she is. Where do you suppose she's from?" Numair said thoughtfully.

"I wouldn't bother asking," Dom said walking over to stand next to his cousin. "When Kel asked she told her 'nowhere'. I don't think she'll be willing to tell anyone."

A few days later, Alessandria was saying good-bye to the five children she'd looked after for some months, none of them were happy to see her go. The younger ones where crying.

"Be good," Alessandria told them. "Practice your archery, everyday. Don't slack off. Gods all bless and watch over you." The children mumbled the same in reply. Swinging herself into the saddle, Alessandria urged her horse nearer to where Kel and the others waited.

As they rode out the gates, someone, she suspected Leverett call out. "Take good care of Reaper!"

Alessandria wrinkled her nose in distaste, she hated that name, and it was one that her horse didn't deserve.

"Who," Kel started to ask.

"That was my horses' name when I got her. I think the name Night suits her better though." Alessandria explained with a sigh.

The trip to Corus took a little over two months, and was widely uneventful if you don't count the number of pranks that Neal and Dom played on each other. But even the pranks didn't last the whole trip, in fact they suddenly stopped after Alessandria and Kel accidently received the end result of one prank.

Upon arriving at the palace – the king was of course expecting them because Numair had informed him about Alessandria mysterious need to speak with him – Alessandria's first concern was a place where Night could rest. She was almost eager to hand her horse off to the stable hand that came to collect the horses, until she recognized him, and felt Night fidgeting. He reached a hand for her reigns.

"Excuse me, but you have horse magic don't you?"

The man paused, surprised and nodded. Alessandria sighed. "Then I'm afraid I can't let you take my horse. I shall follow you to the stables."

Tobeis Boon was insulted and surprised. What did this woman mean that she couldn't let him lead her horse to the stable because he had horse magic? But her let her lead her horse anyway, just before they entered the stable she stopped though, at the same time Tobe saw Stefan walk out to help with the horses.

"You're the head hostler," the irritating woman asked Stefan.

"Aye," he answered.

She muttered something under her breath before saying aloud. "Please do not take this the wrong way, but no one with horse magic can see to Night."

"Very well, miss. But why if you don' mind my askin'?"

"Because of my mount's history with horse mages she hates them. She attempted to kill Lady Daine when she approached her. And I'd honestly prefer that Night doesn't kill anyone here."

Silently Stefan led Alessandria to an empty stall. After her horse was seen to, Alessandria left the stables. Outside she found a maid who'd been instructed to lead her to her rooms. She was then informed that her audience with the king and queen was tomorrow at noon, and that the king and queen had asked four knights to be her guides. _In other words, _Alessandria thought with wry amusement. _They will spy on me and insure I am not up to something that may harm the kingdom. Very smart._

Alessandria felt amusement drain from her when she spotted the knights that were to be her guides.

"What in the name of chaos have I done to deserve _this_?" she muttered in Nagari as she approached the knights.

"Do we really have to babysit some ambassador; don't they come with their own guards?" Kaden of Masbolle grumbled to his three companions.

"Dad said that she's not an ambassador." The lone female of the group shrugged. "Besides you're a knight, and the king gave you an order stop complaining.

"Easy for you to say, you just got back from an assignment, while I've had to stay at court Kely." Kaden pouted to Keladry of Queensgrove.

"Shut up," sighed Donnel to his brother and cousin. "Do you know how to get them to stop Jasson?" He asked his friend.

"Unfortunately not, that was always Ria's job," they all quieted down at the mention of Kaden's and Donnel's twin sister who'd disappeared after receiving her shield.

"Am I to assume that you four are to be my guides?" They four knights turned to find the speaker. She was a tall woman, well muscled with dirty blonde hair that was quite long and blue-green eyes.

The four bowed. "Yes milady. Forgive us we didn't hear you approach." Kely said formally and trying to figure out why this woman seemed familiar.

"Please allow us to introduce ourselves," Jasson said smoothly. "I am Sir Jasson."

Alessandria noted he didn't name his fief.

"I am Sir Kaden and this is my brother sir Donnel."

"I am Lady Knight Keladry of Queensgrove."

"A pleasure to meet you. I am called Sandria," she slipped past them to the room she'd been assigned.

_Of course,_ she thought with disgust. _I would have to be around the people who know – knew – me best. _


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

_A/N: So I think the story is about to wrap itself up, meaning about one or two more chapters. Please read and review! Also I'd like to thank my very first reviewer, 'Rig the Wanderer'._

Alessandria wanted to hide out in the rooms assigned to her, but that would be cowardly. Alessandria was many things; a coward wasn't one of them. So, taking a deep breath she walked out of the rooms.

"Could you perhaps direct me to the mess hall, I'm a bit hungry." The three men nodded and Donnel said "Please follow us." But Kely was frowning at her, seemly confused. Alessandria panicked slightly wondering if she said something to make her old friend suspicious. But the Lady Knight said nothing and took up the rear while Donnel, Kaden and Jasson led the way to the mess hall.

They had all sat down after getting their food, the silence at the table was not the comfortable one Alessandria had shared with them as pages.

"So milady, why if you don't mind my asking, are you here?" Donnel ask, for one panicked, horrified moment Alessandria thought that he was flirting with her. _Stop it, _she ordered herself firmly. _Relax, they won't find out unless you choose to tell them._

"I rather not say until I speak with your king, as that is the purpose of this little visit." She answered after a minute.

After they ate Alessandria let them lead her around the palace, eventually they ended up at the practice courts, which she stared at wistfully wanting to stretch her muscles. Kely noticed this and commented on it.

"Do you know how to use a sword," surprised Alessandria nodded, and before she realized she agreed to a match with the Lady Knight.

_Not good. Not good, not good, not good._ Alessandria thought as she stretched and got used to the feel of the blunt practice sword in her hand. _They expect me to lose; after all, she's a knight so I'll just lose._

With that plan set Alessandria relaxed and the match began. At first she stuck to the plan, mainly because she was rusty. Then totally forgetting that she'd planned on losing, Alessandria began to fight with some of the skill that only someone trained for years posses.

Jasson watched in amazement as the fight began to turn. One second Kely clearly had the advantage, and then slowly the tide changed. Suddenly the stranger, Sandria had the upper hand; looking at his two friends he saw they also were staring at the two fighters in shock and amazement. Finally it ended when both Kely and Sandia, somehow, disarmed each other at the same time. The two stood gasping and staring at each other.

"Well," Kely finally said, chuckling a little. "You could have mentioned that you were that good."

Sandria just shrugged, choosing not to comment.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ Alessandria berated herself. _You were supposed to lose!_ Turning away she took the water someone offered to her. "Which way to the stable," Alessandria purposely faced away from Kely, who from about the middle of the fight had been looking at her like she recognized her from somewhere, but didn't know from where. Kaden led the way, the whole time Alessandria tried not to look directly at Kely. Upon entering the stables, she forgot her guards and rushed to see Night. Murmuring softly, lovingly to her horse, she pet her soft nose gently and offered her an apple. The horse in the stall next to Night nickered softly; turning Alessandria looked at the pure white stallion.

_Which god did I vex? Or better yet, how many?_ Alessandria hadn't noticed when she first put Night in her stall, but the horse next to Night was her horse.

_It was her first day of page training and like every other first year, she was eager to pick out a horse. Reaching a stable Alessandria was almost instantly drawn to a beautiful mare. A dark chocolate brown long-legged with white stockings, walking over to the horse she stopped half-way when one of the other older pages walked into the stall and began to groom her. With a sigh of slight disappointment she continued the stall a few doors down from the mare. There she found a white stallion; this horse was not a light grey like most 'white' horses, but true snow white. The horse had an uncanny intelligence in its eyes', which didn't particularly bother Alessandria, after all most of her family's horses were seen to by a horse mage. Tobe was practically another brother to Alessandria, Donnel and Kaden, even though he now spent a good portion of his time at the palace stables, where both Daine and Stefan were able to teach him how to control his magic. Alessandria checked the horses' teeth and entered the stall to get a closer look. _

"_He's not the best choice. Not mean, but won't let most ride him. Just dumps them off." She looked to see Tobe walking over, and smiled in greeting._

"_What's his name," Alessandria asked, she'd already made up her mind._

_Tobe sighed; he knew her and knew she could be just as stubborn as her mother."Snowstorm," he answered knowing there was no use to argue with her._

_Alessandria proceeded to saddle Snowstorm. She led the stallion to the practice courts and mounted when the training master gave the command. She along with the rest of the pages began putting their mounts through their paces. Over the next few weeks, Snowstorm only acted up when he thought she wasn't paying attention, on one particular day her two brothers decided that they wanted to see whose horse was fastest. Alessandria decided to join them; they'd had a head start she quickly caught up to both of her brothers. Laughing she'd half-turned to tease her brothers about not being able to beat her even with a head start, her mount chose that moment to rear. Letting out a yelp of surprise, Alessandria hung on, leaning forward to try and prevent Snowstorm from toppling over backwards. Eventually she got her horse under control and led him back to his stall. Before she left the stable after grooming Snowstorm and seeing to all his tack, Alessandria grabbed his head and looked her horse in the eye. "Test me all you want. It's not going to change a thing, I don't give up." _

_After that Snowstorm all but stopped acting up._

"I'm sorry, what?" Alessandria realized that Jasson had said something and was waiting for her answer.

"I said, that I noticed your horse has scars, we have horse mages that can help with them if they bother her."

"Actually they can't," she replied shaking her head. "I can't risk them getting too near Night."

"Why," Kaden asked.

"These scars were given to her by someone with horse magic." They all turned to see Daine walk in the stables. Seeing her surprise, she gave Alessandria a small smile. "She doesn't seem to have a problem with me if you're around."

A few minutes later Daine watched as Kely, Jasson, Kaden and Donnel took Sandria back to her room. Daine was about to leave when one of the horses called out to her, turning she saw it was Snowstorm, Keladry's daughter's horse, he seemed upset.

_What's wrong?_ She asked sending reassurance to the horse though her connection to him.

_Why'd she leave, she just got back. _Daine blinked, the horse sent her a picture of Alessandria.

_She'll be back._ Daine told him and left, thoroughly confused and very thoughtful.

The next day Alessandria could hardly wait until noon, she wanted to deliver her message and leave before someone figured out who she was. Despite continually reassuring herself that no one would realize her identity, she was extremely nervous. Alessandria went over in her head what she would say until a bell before noon, at which time she finally left her assigned rooms to eat. Immediately after eating she asked to be directed to the hall in which her audience with the king and queen would be held.

Since she arrived early Alessandria found a place to sit and attempted to relax. She decided to meditate to calm her mind and pass the time. After what seemed like no time, Jasson tapped her should and told her that the king and queen were ready to see her.

Entering the throne room, Alessandria noticed that Kel, Neal, Yuki, and Dom where there as well as Daine, Numair, Lord Sir Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak, his wife Buriram, Lady Alanna the King's Champion, Baron George Copper Prince Roald and his wife Princess Shinkokami. Alessandria stopped in the middle of the room and bowed to the King Jonathan and Queen Thayet.

"Your Majesties, thank you for agreeing to see me."

"How can we help you, miss…?"

"I am called Sandria. I'm here because your kingdom is in danger. There is a nation called the Nagari, they are very much like the K'miri or Bazhir, in the fact that it is made up of tribes. The Kunari Council is the closest thing the Nagari have to a ruling family. I do not carry a message from them, or any of the tribe chieftain's - " Alessandria stopped when the door flew open, and a large angry man followed by the two guards stationed outside the hall, clearly trying to keep him from interrupting.

"How dare you," he snarled at the guards as one grabbed his arm, shaking the man's grip off. "I come here in the name of my people. As an ambassador! Get your filthy hands off me!"

Alessandria was silently hoping that he wouldn't notice her. She did not want to have to deal with him again, last time he attempted to kill her. At that moment he turned and saw her.

"You! What do you think you're doing here?" Hate twisted his face into a hideous mask.

"Hello, Haben, it's been awhile. I have an audience with the king and queen of Tortall, which you are interrupting."

Haben let loose a stream of curses. "You bitch! You do not have the Kunari Council's approval or support! I do, you don't belong –" Suddenly he got a sly look on his face, and the mask of hatred was replaced with a smug smile. "Do they know I wonder?"

Alessandria tried to hide the fact she'd gone pale. "Shut up, Haben. I'm here because I don't want to see you ruin the honor of the Nagari."

"I should have killed you when I had the chance. You have no respect for the Nagari beliefs and rituals."

"I have plenty of respect for them, but I don't want to see you convince the Kunari that a nation that have no clue they exist means to destroy the Nagari."

Alessandria was well aware that the two of them were the center of attention, she'd seen Haben's hand drop to his belt knife earlier in the conversation. She watched him cautiously, and was about to begin to leave, as she had delivered the message.

"Allow me to correct a mistake I made when we first met, Lady Knight Alessandria of Masbolle." With that Haben threw the knife he'd pulled from his belt. Alessandria twisted as the knife reached her, as it was flying past she notice that she'd been standing in front of Jasson, who was now standing in the path of the blade. Her hand shot out and snatched it from the air, wincing at the slice she received on her palm. Examining the knife Alessandria realized why the blade hadn't been stopped by any of the several different colored fires that had been launched to stop it. The knife was made from Stormwing feathers, with a sigh she put the blade in her belt, and sent up a quick prayer that none of the others in the room believed what Haben had said.


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I do not own PotS, or any of Tamora Pierce's characters._

_A/N: Sorry it took so long! I was out of town with no access to my computer, or any computer for that matter. Thanks to all those who have reviewed._

Alessandria walked quickly towards the doors the guards had dragged Haben out through; she was almost there when King Jonathan's voice rang through the room.

"Stop," Alessandria considered ignoring him, but realized in the end she would not get away, so with an inward sigh, she turned to face a room full of people who knew her.

"I knew she seemed familiar!" Kely said to no one in particular.

_That's what Snowstorm meant, _Daine realized.

"Ria," Kaden and Donnel asked, as if hesitant to believe.

Alessandria kept her face smooth and stared at a point over the king and queens' heads.

"Are you Alessandria of Masbolle," the king asked, the room went silent, and everyone seemed to hold their breath waiting for the answer.

Alessandria was stuck; either she lied to her family and friends or she told them the truth, which was extremely complicated. After a minute she answered with as much truth as she thought could be understood.

"I no longer answer to that name," she said picking her words carefully. "Though that was once what  
>I was called." She turned and quickly left before anyone could stop her.<p>

"She's not dead," Kel wasn't sure who said it; she was staring at the door her only daughter had just run out of. Only her Yamani training kept her from collapsing upon hearing that Alessandria was alive.

"Where has she been?" Kaden muttered.

"Why was no one able to find her when scrying?" Jasson wondered aloud.

"**Perhaps I can answer that**," said a voice. Everyone in the room turned to find the speaker. When Kel, Yuki, and Princess Shinko saw the speaker they paled and dropped to their knees, murmuring in Yamani. The speaker was a small woman; her hair was tied back in a horsetail though many strands had fallen out and framed her face. Her eyes like her hair were black, and she had a large scar on her face, almost identical to the one Alessandria now had. Her clothes were ragged, worn and torn in many places and she was tanned from sun exposure. "**Raise sisters, I came to answer your questions.**" The woman walked to the three women and one by one offered her hand to help them stand. Only then did she give the rest of the room her attention. "**I am Latona, goddess of women warriors. I made it so that none could find Alessandria.**" After saying this she smiled at the women in the room, and then she turned to Alanna. "**Seems I've finally found a loop hole,**" she mused. "**Your patron is quite possessive, young one. She's ordered me to not speak with you.**"

"And yet you are now," Alanna stated.

"**Yes, well, I've never been really good at obeying orders. Besides you do have questions concerning Alessandria, do you not?" **The goddess chuckled and gestured in the air, a chair appeared and she promptly settled herself in it. "**Ask away.**"

There was silence for a long moment, as everyone attempted to digest what the goddess had said. Finally Jasson spoke.

"Why did you guard her from scrying?" Everyone seemed surprised that one of the men spoke instead of the women.

The goddess blinked and turned her attention to the young man, and began to examine him, a curious expression on her face. "**Maybe… yes, quite possibly…" **she said to herself. "**I have a plan for Alessandria, one in which certain thing had to happen. I couldn't have anyone coming after her and returning her here before the time was right.**" The goddess stood. "**I think that you should ask Alessandria more about her past." **Everyone blinked and she was gone.

Alessandria sigh as she reached her rooms, she hurried in only to freeze. Latona was seated on her bed. Alessandria knelt before her patron goddess.

"My lady -" she stammered.

"**Alessandria**," the goddess greeted her and offered a hand to help the girl stand. "**They will question you eventually. Will you lie to them when they do?**" The goddesses smiled gently and kissed her on both cheeks, then disappeared.

Alessandria stood numbly for a minute, then she turned and closed the door. She stared off into space, lost in thought as she dropped onto the bed.

_Alessandria had just turned five. The birthday celebration included her brothers of course, but she unlike them was restless. Kaden and Donnel were content to sit as guest twittered on about how big they've gotten, or how much they resembled their parents. Also, the two boys were good at drawing all the attention, Alessandria was content to let them have it, which is why she'd snuck out of the party. She was wondering around the garden when she saw someone. She attempted to hide, thinking it was a party guest._

"_I see you there little one." The person chuckled. "Come out of there, I wish to talk to you."_

_Alessandria hesitated but in the end walked out into the open. "Who are you?"_

"_Tell me Alessandria, do you plan to follow in your mother's footsteps?" The strange woman asked._

"_Sort of," Alessandria answered, thrilled that someone thought to ask her if she'd made a decision about her future, young as she was. "I want to be Knight Commander of the King's Own," the five-year-old announced proudly._

_The woman nodded her head. "That is a wonderful goal," she told the girl. "But you may never achieve it, or it may change. Remember, too much stone makes it impossible to adapt to the obstacles the gods throw into your path, and too much water makes it impossible to stand up to the hardships one must face in life. To be in perfect balance one must have the right amount of both, as the fire of passion."_

_Alessandria blinked slowly then asked. "How do I know if I have the right balance?"_

_The woman laughed and said, "You just answered better than many adults do. You will know when you have achieved the correct balance. Now, my dearest sister, I must go as your godsfather is approaching."_

_She left before Alessandria could say anything._

"_Alessandria! What are you doing out here?" She turned to see Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak, her godsfather approaching._

_She smile up at him and replied, "Walking."_

"_Shouldn't you be inside with your brothers?" Raoul asked chuckling at her answer._

"_Probably, but it's boring." She answered with the innocent honesty that only could be pulled off by a child._

_Raoul laughed and scooped her up. "Let's get you back inside," he told her, she sighed in reply._

"_Uncle Raoul, how'd you become the Knight Commander?" She asked after a short silence._

"_Well, first I gained my shield." He jokingly replied._

_Alessandria rolled her eyes, and wiggled so that he set her down. "I'm serious… I want to be the Knight Commander when you retire."_

_That shocked him; he stared at the little five-year-old who returned his stare with intelligence. _

Alessandria was shaken out of her thoughts by knocking on the door. She hesitated before going to answer it. Jasson stood there; she grimaced and turned to gather up her things.

"What do you want?" she demanded gruffly, they now knew who she was so there was no reason to pretend she didn't know him.

"You're leaving," it wasn't a question, so she didn't reply. "After you left we had a surprise visitor," he told her, she grunted in acknowledgement. "She said her name was Latona." At that Alessandria's head shot up and she let loose a string or curses. She swung around to face Jasson, glaring.

"Say what you want and let's get this over with." She ground out through clenched teeth. _Be unfriendly_, she told herself_, that way they'll not try to stop me._

"Well first off, I think you should thank me, and Kely and Kaden and Donnel. The four of us convinced the rest to _not_ converge on you at once."

"And for that I'll ever be in you dept," she told him with withering sarcasm.

He didn't seem affected, and didn't react other than to laugh, she glared fiercely at him. "Ria, you forget I've known you for years. You're being rude, unfriendly and mean in the attempt to get me to let you leave without a fight."

Alessandria blinked at her friend, completely shocked. No one realized she did that, not even her brothers, and they were the people closest to her, how did Jasson know? She sat on the bed sigh a long suffering sigh. "Just ask your questions," she told him defeated.

"How did it happen," he asked settling into a chair.

"What exactly are you referring to?" she rubbed at her forehead tiredly.

"The night you disappeared." Jasson said eye locked on to his friend.

Alessandria stared at the floor remembering.

_She stumbled out of the Chamber of Ordeal, right into the arms of her mother and former knight-master, Sir Merric. Desperately she looked around, relaxing when she saw her two brothers, who had just been knighted in the two days before she had entered it. Later that evening after she had been given her shield and titled Lady Knight Alessandria of Masbolle, Alessandria had talked with her mother._

"_I'm proud of you. You've worked so hard," Kel smiled at her._

_Feeling impulsive Alessandria hugged her mother. "I was just lucky I had a good knight-master. I_still _say you had something to do with Sir Merric choosing me as a squire." Kel laughed and shook her head._

_Alessandria left her mother to find her friends, all of whom were knights having been knighted in the four days before her. Kely spotted her first, and rushed to hug her. The two girls had been thrown together since birth, as their parents where friends. Just as Kaden, Donnel and Jasson had been thrown together. Kely embraced her, and then moved aside so that Kaden and Donnel could grab their sister. The four had an easy relationship as they were also all related; Kaden, Donnel and Alessandria's father was Kely's father's cousin. Jasson on the other hand was different, he wasn't related to Alessandria, and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't seem to think of him as a brother. _

_She absolutely did __**not**__ have any sort of crush on him, which would awkward in the extreme. So ignoring the way her heartbeat sped up when she hugged him, she was still on an adrenaline high from being knighted. _

"_Welcome to the ranks of the knights, dear baby sister," Donnel said slinging his arm around her shoulders._

"_Watch it, I maybe the youngest but I can still beat you on the practice quarts." She growled at him shaking off the arm only to have Kaden throw his own in Donnel's place._

"_True, but you don't have a long list of people begging you to dance, where as Donnel and I do," he told her._

"_Do I care," she asked and elbowed him in his ribs._

"_Kaden, shame on you," Donnel said shaking his head in disappointment, but the wicked grin on his face ruined the ruse. "She's going to figure out the surprise now!"_

_Alessandria slowly began to back away. "What are you two planning?"_

"_Why only trying to help you out," they answered innocently."You did complain the other night that no one asked you to dance," Donnel pointed out. "So," continued Kaden, "we thought we'd see if we could help with that." _

_Alessandria looked at Jasson and Kely, both of whom looked like they were trying to laugh; she took the chance to escape her brothers when she saw Sir Merric. She walked over to him and bowed._

"_Thank you sir, for everything to taught me." She told him, meaning every word._

"_I couldn't have asked for a better squire, you're better behaved than your brothers, not to mention quite a bit like your mother." Merric told her, she laughed at the last part._

"_I'm much more like my father. And I just don't get caught, unlike my brothers." She told him as she walked away._

Alessandria shook off the memory and answered Jasson's question.

"I snuck out of the party, you know how I hate parties, and went for a walk. I almost went to the stables to grab Snow, but decided against it. They grabbed me on the edge of the Royal Forest."

"Who grabbed you," he asked.

"No clue," she grimaced. "Anyway I was out numbered and next thing I knew I was on a boat and Latona came to say 'hi'."

He frowned then said, "She's your patron goddess isn't she? Must have been a shock when you met her."

Alessandria at this point was checking to make sure she had all of her things, and answered absentmindedly. "Hmm? Yes and no. After all it wasn't the first time she'd appeared to me." She nodded to herself and gathered her stuff.

"What- where are you going?" Jasson stood and moved to block her exit.

She gave him a look that told him the answer was obvious. "Leaving. I have to _try_ to convince the representative of the Kunari Counsel to call off the attack." She stopped and pulled the knife that Haben had thrown, a smile beginning to grow on her face. "That just might work… I need to speak to the Wildmage." She told Jasson, and slid past him to exit the room.

"Ria," Jasson followed her trying to figure out what was going on in her head. "Where are you going now?"

Alessandria was muttering to herself and wasn't paying attention, which is why she nearly ran right into a large group of people. She stopped short when she heard a loud voice call her name, blinking she looked up and around, realizing that the group before her was made up from everyone from the throne room. She bowed to the monarchs and took the opportunity to ask Daine for her help.

"Lady Daine, would you please assist me with something? But first I need to see Haben." She bowed again and rushed off. The group stared after her completely perplexed.

"I guess I'd better go see what she needs help with." Daine said at length and followed after Alessandria.

Daine caught up to her just as Alessandria sliced Haben with his own blade. "Umm, why did you do that? And what do you need help with?"

"This knife," Alessandria explained as she led Daine to the stables. "Is a symbol of Haben's… the favor he's gained from the Kunari Counsel; with me in possession of it and his blood on it I basically assume power if he doesn't return or until he returns. Unfortunately the scar on my face, which Haben gave me by the way, prevents me from accepting that control; but naturally there is a loop-hole." Alessandria flashed her a triumphant grin.

"What is it," Daine was amazed that she'd thought of a way around all those rules.

"The word 'Kunari' roughly translates to 'animal-hearted', but it can also be translated to 'one with wild magic' or 'wild mage'. All three of those descriptions happen to fit you. If you ask then they'll ignore the scar and treat me like anyone else that might do what I'm planning. Will you help?"

Alessandria paused and looked at Daine nervously, worried that she would refuse. To her immense relief the Wildmage agreed.

"Wonderful, all that you have to is…"

Later that evening Daine returned, alone.

"Where is she," Donnel demanded, others echoing his question.

"She returned with the Nagari," Daine told them with a sigh. "She insisted on going with them, and asked that we don't release Haben."


End file.
